Netting door for locomotive smoke boxes



Dec. 13, 1927.

B. H. PEDIGO NETTING DOOR FOR LOCOMOTIVE SMOKE BOXES Filed Sept. 15. 1926 lit Patented Dec. 13, 1927.

UNITED STATES- BENJMAN H. PEDIGO, OF JACKSON, TENNESSEE.

NETTING DOOR FOR LOCOMOTIVE SMOKE BOXES.

Application filed September 13, 1926. Serial No. 135,221.

The primary object of this invention is to facilitate the removal and the replacement of the door in the netting of a locomotive smoke box, and to reduce the hazard incident to inspecting the appliances within and associated with the smoke box, and to enable such inspection and the making of repairs without blowing the steam from the boiler or drawing the tire and letting the engine cool.

The invention provides novel fastening means for the netting door, including re tainer elements along the sides thereof and releasable and engageable at one operation and made secure by a single-key or like element.

While the drawings illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that in adapting the means to meet specific needs and requirements, the design may be varied and other changes in the minor details of construction may be resorted to within the scope of the invention as claimed, without departing from the 7 spirit thereof.

For a full understanding of the invention and the merits thereof, reference is to be had to the following description and the drawings hereto attached, in which:

Figure 1 is a detail sectional view of the forward end portion of a locomotive boiler showing the netting in the smoke box provided with a door held in place by fastening means embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged view'of a portion of the smoke box netting and door closing the opening therein, showing more clearly the fastening means.

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and designated in all views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The numeral 1 designates the boiler of a locomotive engine and the numeral 2 the smoke box at the forward end thereof which is closed by the usual cap 3. The exhaust nozzle 4 and stack 5 are of usual and wellknown arrangement. The netting 6 may be of any usual and well-known construction and arrangement and is provided with an opening which is closed by means of a door 7. A suitable frame surrounds the door opening and a plurality of fastening elements 8 are disposed along the side members thereof. The fastening elements 8 are headed. as shown most clearly in Figure 3, the heads facing upwardly and beveled at their inner edges to retain the door upon the shanks of the fastenings, as indicated most clearly in Figure 3. A plurality of slots are formed in the vertical edge portions of the door in position to receive the heads of the fastenings 8. A slot 10 is formed in the top portion of the door and receives a fastening element 11 attached to the upper por' tion of the support to which the netting 6 is attached. The fastening element 11 has an extension 12 which is disposed in a higher plane than the shank with which the door 7 is in contact when closed. as inclicatedniost clearly in Figure 3. The extension 12 is of hook form to retain the door in place thereon when disengaged from the elements 8, as shown most clearly by the dotted lines in Figure 1.

The draft sheet 13 below the door opening supports a bracket 14 which is bolted or otherwise attached thereto. A slotted stud 15 is attached to the bracket 14 and projects upwardly therefrom and is adapted to pass through an opening in-a lip or flange 16 projectingforwardly from the lower portion of the door. A key 17 is adapted to pass through the slot of the stud 15 and engage the top side of the lip or flange 16 and pre vent vertical movement of the door and disengagement thereof from the fastening ele' ments 8. To prevent loss of the key 17, a flexible connection 18 such as a chain or wire is attached at one end to the draft sheet 13 or other convenient part and the key 17 is connected to the opposite end. If preferred, fastening elements similar to the hooks 8 may be provided for the top portion of the door adjacent the double hook fastening 11.

It will be understood from the foregoing, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, that the invention provides a p111- rality of fastenings for the door 7, the same being engageable or separable by a single operation and when the door is closed it is made secure by means of the single element 17 which is passed through the slot of the stud 15 and engages the lip or flange 16. To release the door, the key 17 is disengaged from the stud 15 and the door lifted to clear the stud 15 and heads oi": the 'fast-enings 8; hen the door is thus elevated, it is drawn forward and engages the hook extension 12 of the fastening 11 and when released, the door swings forward into the position'indicated by the dotted lines in figure l. The door may be swung to one side or the other or may be completely removed to admit of unobstructed access to the door opening in the netting, either for inspection or for repairs.

Having thus described the invention, What I claim is: v

1. 111 a locomotive engine having netting in the smoke box of the boiler provided with the usual door opening, a door for closing the door opening of the netting provided with slots adjacent its marginal edges headed iastenings adjacent the door opening of the netting and positioned to engage the slots in the marginal edge portions of the door, and fastening means for preventing movement of the door and disengagement thereof from the headed tastenings.

2. In a locomotive engine smoke box provided with netting having the usual opening, adoor closing said. opening and having a plurality of slots in its marginal edge portions, headed faste-nings adjacent the door opening of the netting to engage the slots of the door, aslotted stud at one side of the door opening and adapted to engage a portion of the door, and a key adapted to enter the slot of said stud and prevent movement of slots at its mar the door and disengagement thereof from the headed tl'astenings.

3. In a locomotive engine smoke box provided with netting having'the usual openiig a door 'clos n-g said opening and having ginal edge portions, headed iastenings adjacent the door opening of the netting engageable with the slots of the door and a door suspending fastening at the top of the door opening to engage a slot at the top of the door and having a hook-shaped extension for supporting the door when disengaged from the remaining headed fastenmgs.

4:. In a locomotive engine having netting in the smoke box in which is formed the usual door opening, a door for closing the door opening providedivith slots adjacent its marginal edges and having an offset lip, headed iastenings adjacent the door opening of the netting and engageable with the slots in the door, adoor suspending hook above the dooropening having an extension for supporting the door When disengaged from the headed 't'astenings, a slotted stud adjacent the lower end of the door openingand adapted to pass through an opening in the offset lip of the door, and akey passing through'the slotted stud and engaging the said offset lipto prevent disengagement of the door from the said headed fastenings.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

BENJMANVH. rnnieo [n 5. i 

